Citizenship poll – Vote must be deferred to ease division

ANY lingering doubts about the divisive nature of combining the citizenship referendum with the elections on June 11 evaporated yesterday as the Government sought to defend its position in the Dáil.

Charges of whipping up racist fears were hurled across the chamber as deputies returned from their Easter holidays to debate this vexed issue.

Arguably, the sense of urgency behind the Government’s insistence on mending a legal loophole is not borne out by the statistics.